March 2 — Mercury Studios and Jazz Casual Productions, Inc. have partnered to re-issue two previously out of print Duke Ellington presentations in the form of Duke Ellington: Love You Madly/A Concert of Sacred Music at Grace Cathedral.
The two-part Emmy-nominated presentation, which is one part documentary and one part concert, is scheduled for release April 28. Pre-orders are open.
Originally recorded in September 1965 at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral, the performance celebrated the completion of the cathedral’s reconstruction following damage caused to the structure by the 1906 earthquake. Reconstruction had been off and on constantly since the earthquake happened almost 60 years earlier.
The concert’s set list features songs, such as ‘Come Sunday,’ ‘Ain’t But The One’ and ‘In The Beginning, God.’ Ellington considered the concert to be “the most important statement (the) orchestra had ever done.” It was just as well received by jazz critics and aficionados, who considered it one of his greatest achievements.
The documentary features Ellington himself talking about topics, such as the composition of timeless classics, such as ‘Sophisticated Lady,’ ‘Take The A Train,’ and ‘Black, Brown and Beige.’ Interviews with others close to Ellington help round out the documentary portion of the presentation. The interviews are conducted by Rolling Stone magazine co-founder Ralph J. Gleason.
More information on this and other titles from Mercury Studios is available at:
Website: https://mercurystudios.com
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